Yukon State of
the Environment

Reporting on environmental indicators - 2018

Land Use Activities

Recreational land use

Significance

The Government of Yukon operates and maintains roadside campgrounds. These provide outdoor recreation opportunities such as fishing, hiking, boating and wildlife viewing. Recreational land use may have a negative impact on the environment “when the level of visitor use is greater than the local environment’s ability to cope with this use within the acceptable limits of change” (United Nations Environmental Programme (UNEP), n.d.).

For statistical purposes, the Government of Yukon tracks the number of people using Government of Yukon campsites.

Taking action

The Government of Yukon has worked to increase the number of campsites available to visitors and residents. Between 2015 and 2016, 82 new campsites were added across the territory, including additional campsites at the Marsh Lake, Wolf Creek, Twin Lakes and Tombstone Mountain campgrounds, along with the new Conrad Campground on Tagish Lake. This has resulted in a 20 per cent increase in the number of campsites within 200 km of Whitehorse (and four per cent across the territory).

There are other campsites operated throughout the territory including Kathleen Lake Campground in Kluane National Park and Reserve and several private RV campgrounds. Data from these sites are not included.